A permit is not required to paint your house, repoint your chimney, or replace your roofing and siding if no structural changes are made. See Do I Need a Permit for a list of projects that do not require a permit. See Seattle Residential Code R105.2 for more information.

Research the Code

Your new construction must comply with the current Seattle residential, building, zoning, electrical, land use, environmental, shoreline, and mechanical codes. You do not need to upgrade existing portions of your house that are not being remodeled to the current codes. However, any structural impacts from your addition or remodel will need to be accounted for in the design and permit submittal. For example, if you are adding a second-story addition, your existing house may need structural upgrades to support the new construction.

Our Seattle Municipal Code (SMC) limits the size and location of your addition. The combined footprint of all structures (including the new addition), covered areas, and decks 36 inches or more above the ground cannot exceed a certain percentage of your lot size. That percentage varies by zoning. For single-family zones, the total coverage is limited to 35 percent of the lot (on lots 5,000 square feet or larger) or 1,000 square feet plus 15 percent of the lot area (on lots smaller than 5,000 square feet).